Power unit for multiple oil wells



74. MACHINE ELEMENTS W AND MECHANISMS t: 7, 1940. R. WIKEN' ,2

POWER UNIT FOR MULTIPLE OIL WELLS Filfld Jan. 24. 1958 I NVENT OR. 510%M/rm/ ATTORNEY.

1 lvmbmlit tLtlVltNlb AND MECHANISMS Patented Aug. 27, 1940 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE Ralph Wiken, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to The FalkCorporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin ApplicationJanuary 24, 1938, Serial No. 186,514

7 Claims.

This invention relates to geared power units of the type commonlyemployed in the oil fields as a single driver for a plurality of oilwell pumps and the like.

A typical unit for this purpose, such for instance as that shown in thepatent to Percy C. Day, No. 2,054,782, ordinarily includes an operatinghead adapted to be separately connected in driving relation with aplurality of pumps and mounted to travel about a vertical axis fixedwith respect to a supporting housing, the latter serving to support andenclose the gearing by which the head is operated. The device of thepatent also includes a self-contained lubricating system by which all ofthe moving parts, including the operating head, are adequatelylubricated by circulating oil supplied from a reservoir in the housingand ultimately returned substantially without loss to the housing.

When driven by a unit of this type, the stroke of each of the severalpumps of course corresponds to the course of movement or stroke of theoperating head. In the device of the patent, however, as well as inother commercial forms of devices of this type heretofore employed, thestroke of the operating head is fixed, so that the strokes of the pumpscannot be regulated to best suit the conditions of any particular oilfield or the changing conditions in a field.

One object of the present invention is to include in a driving unit ofthe character mentioned a mechanical structure which will afford readyadjustment of the course of movement or stroke of the operating headwithout reducing the strength or rigidity of the unit or otherwiseimparing its capacity to sustain the tremendous loads imposed thereon.

Another object is to provide for the supply and return of lubricant toand from an adjustable head support, in a device of the charactermentioned, so as to effect adequate lubrication thereof in all positionsof adjustment.

Other objects and advantages will appear, expressed or implied, from thefollowing description of an embodiment of the present invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a sectional view on the line |--l of Fig. 2 of an adjustablerotating driving support for the operating head of a geared power unitconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, on a smaller scale, of the head support shownin Fig. 1.

The operating head shown at It is substantially identical with thatshown in the patent above identified and, as in said patent, it is shownjournalled upon a vertical pintle II, carried by an arm l2, extendinghorizontally from the upper end of a vertical shaft [3, projecting abovethe top l4 of an appropriate housing in which the 5 shaft is rigidlyjournalled. The shaft I3 is driven at relatively slow speed through anappropriate speed reducing gear train enclosed within the housing, sothat the head l0 travels with the pintle II about the axis of the shaftl3. This orbital motion of the head is utilized to drive a plurality ofoil well pumps through separate conventional connections engaged inappropriate openings I5, commonly provided adjacent the periphery of thehead, so that tremendous loads are thereby imposed upon the head andpintle.

In the arrangement shown, the arm l2 comprises a heavy steel castingremovably anchored to the shaft l3. To afford adequate strength and 20security of mounting, the arm shown is provided with a heavy split hubportion [6, clamped onto the shaft by appropriate bolts l1, locked tothe shaft by a heavy key l8, and further clamped to the shaft by a steeldisk [9 seated in the hub l6 and clamped against the end of the shaft bybolts 20.

In accordance with the present invention, provision is made forrendering the head Hi adjustable relative to the axis of the shaft l3,to thereby afiord regulation of its orbital movement and consequentlyregulation of the stroke of each of the several pumps driven thereby. Inthis instance this is accomplished in a manner to avoid impairing thestrength or rigidity of mounting 35 of the head l0. For this purpose thepintle II is shown rigidly supported upon a horizontally extended heavybase plate 2| seated upon the arm I2 and securely but adjustably fixedthereto.

The base plate 2| is in this instance in the form of a large diskreleasably secured to the arm by bolts 22, while preferably extendedupwardly through the arm and engage in threaded holes 23 provided in thedisk adjacent the periphery thereof. The pintle II is disposedeccentrically of the disk 2| and the latter is preferably provided witha shallow depending central hub 24 fitted in a corresponding recess 25in the top face of the arm l2 about which the disk may be turned intovarious angular positions so as to position the pintle II at variousdistances from the axis of the shaft I3.

In this connection it will be noted that in the position shown in Fig. 2the pintle II is at a maximum distance from the axis of the shaft I3,

so that when the shaft is rotated the head l0 follows a circular path ofmaximum radius and the pumps, driven thereby operate at maximum stroke.It will also be noted that, when the disk 2| is adjustably turned aboutits center through an angle of one hundred eighty degrees from theposition shown in Fig. 2, the pintle II is thereby adjusted to cause thehead I0 to follow a circular path of minimum radius; and that with thebolt holes 23 arranged in the manner shown, the disk 2| may be fixed ineither of the positions above mentioned or in any one of threeintermediate positions in a manner to effect corresponding changes inthe orbital movement of the head I0 and in the stroke of the pumpsactuated thereby.

It will also be noted that the hub 24 of the disk coacts with the recess25 in the arm |2 in a manner to effect, in all adjusted positions of thedisk, a secure interlock between the disk and arm well able to sustainthe tremenduous loads imposed upon the head |0, pintle II, and disk, andto prevent any lost motion and consequent wear between the disk and arm.

Provision is made in the device shown for lubricating the head I0 bymeans effective to conduct lubricant from the housing It to the head andto return the same to the housing in all adjusted positions of the head.For this purpose a duct 26 is provided which extends upwardly throughthe disk 2| and pintle H with its lower end disposed centrally of thedisk, so as to communicate at all times with a port 21 provided in thearm |2, The port 21 communicates with a duct 28 in the arm |2 which ismaintained flooded with oil under pressure from a duct 29 in the housingl4, through a duct 30 in the shaft |3, substantially as disclosed in thepatent above identified. Oil from the pintle duct 26 passes upwardlythrough a pintle cover 3|, pipe 32, and nozzle 33 from which it is freeto drain down through and lubricate the bearings 34 on which the head Inis journalled.

An auxiliary reservoir 35, carried by the disk 2| and surrounding thedepending hub 36 of the head l0, intercepts the oil discharged from thebearings 34 and directs it through a vertical passage 31 through thedisk 2| into an annular channel 38 formed in the arm |2, this channelbeing concentrically disposed with respect to the disk, so as tomaintain communication with the passage 31 in all adjusted positions ofthe disk. Channel 38 communicates at all times with a passage 39 in thearm |2 through which the oil conducted back to the housing l4 throughducts 40 and 4| in the shaft.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the inventionhereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificingthe advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A power unit comprising the combination of an operating head fordriving multiple oil well apparatus, an upright pintle on which saidhead is journalled, a power driven structure including a laterallyextending crank member mounted to rotate about a fixed vertical axis, apintle base mounted on said crank member and horizontally extended inall directions for engagement with said crank member over a wide area ofcontact, said base being rotatably adjustable upon said crank member,interlocking means disposed about the periphery of said base for rigidlysecuring said base and said crank memher in all positions of adjustment,said pintle being carried by said base eccentrically thereof and beingadjustable therewith to vary the position of said pintle and said headrelative to said axis.

2. A power unit comprising the combination of an operating head fordriving multiple oil well apparatus, a power driven structure mounted torotate about a fixed vertical axis, a support for said head rotatablewith and by said structure and adjustable relative to said structure tovary the position of said head relative to said axis, means includingpassages in said structure and support and communicating with each otherin all adjusted positions of the latter for conducting lubricant to saidhead, and means including other passages in said structure and supportand communicating with each other in all adjusted positions of saidsupport for conducting lubricant from said head.

3. A power unit comprising the combination of an operating head fordriving multiple oil well apparatus, a power driven structure mounted torotate about a fixed vertical axis, an upright pintle on which said headis journalled, a circular base rigidly carrying said pintleeccentrically thereof and horizontally extended in all directionstherefrom, said base being adjustably mounted on said structure forrotation therewith about said axis and being rotatably adjustablerelative thereto to vary the position of said pintle and said headrelative to said axis, and a peripheral series of elements interlockingsaid base with said structure in all positions of adjustment to rigidlysecure said support and structure against relative movement under heavyloads imposed upon said pintle and said head.

4. In a power unit the combination of a vertical shaft, a crank armhorizontally extended from said shaft and rotatable therewith, ahorizontal disk secured to said crank arm and rotatable into variouspositions of adjustment relative thereto, a pintle rigidly mounted onsaid disk eccentrically thereof, a lubricated operating head mounted onsaid pintle, said pintle being rotatable therein, an oil supply conduitwithin said shaft and said crank arm, a second conduit within said diskand pintle having its upper end positioned eccentrically of said diskbut centrally of said pintle for supplying oil to the interior of saidhead during all positions of rotation of said pintle and having itslower end disposed eccentrically of said pintle but centrally of saiddisk for communication with said first named conduit in all positions ofadjustment of said disk.

5. In a power unit the combination of a vertical shaft, a crank armhorizontally extended from said shaft and rotatable therewith, ahorizontal disk secured to said crank arm and rotatable into variouspositions of adjustment relative thereto, a pintle rigidly mounted onsaid disk eccentrically thereof, a lubricated operating head mounted onsaid pintle, an oil reservoir on said disk receiving oil from said head,a circular channel on said crank arm concentric with said disk, adrainage duct in said disk effecting communication between saidreservoir and said channel in all positions of adjustment of said disk,and oil drainage means within said crank arm and said shaft andcommunicating with said channel.

6. A power unit comprising the combination of an operating head fordriving multiple oil well apparatus, a power driven structure includinga laterally extending crank arm mounted to rof4. MACHINE ELEMENTS ANDMECHANlSMS tate about a fixed vertical axis, a circular pintle basehorizontally extended in all directions for engagement with said armover a wide area of contact, a pintle formed integrally with said baseand carried eccentrically thereof, said operating head being journalledupon said pintle, said base being rotatably adjustable upon said arm tovary the position of said pintle and head relative to said axis, and aperipheral series of bolts rigidly interlocking said base and said armin all positions of adjustment of said pintle.

7. A power unit comprising the combination of an operating head fordriving multiple oil well apparatus, a power driven structure includinga laterally extending crank arm mounted uUdl UH F100;

to rotate about a fixed vertical axis, a pintle base rotatablyadjustable upon said arm, a pintle carried by said base eccentricallythereof, said operating head being journalled on said pintle, an oilfeed duct within said base and pintle shaped to provide an inlet at theaxis of rotation of said base and an outlet at the top of said pintlewithin said head, an oil return duct for conducting oil through saidbase outside of said pintle, a circular channel in said armcommunicating with said outlet duct in all positions of adjustment ofsaid base, and oil feed and return channels within said arm forconducting lubricant to said inlet duct and from said outlet channel.

RALPH WIKEN.

